An integrated marketplace framework allows interlinking of multiple marketplaces in the digital platform ecosystem. This interlinking, typically through API interfaces, allows the integrated marketplace framework to list the products from multiple marketplaces together with the typical filter and sorting mechanisms, with the baseline ecommerce features (e.g. product listing and checkout) provided by the external marketplace.
For example, the integrated marketplace framework implemented in the EFPF platform allows users to publish new products and services - by providing redirects to the relevant external marketplaces. The newly published products/services become available on the unified GUI of the integrated framework at the EFPF Platform.
In a digital platform ecosystem, different marketplaces may provide different feature sets and may have different focus e.g. a marketplace may focus on software apps and the other marketplace may provide features that are more suited to physical products. In this respect, the EFPF integrated marketplace framework is able to bring different types of offerings to the users through a unified interface that allows users to search for different types of offerings through an intuitive and unified interface – available through the EFPF Portal. Therefore, it may be possible that future external marketplace may be added and offer additional opportunities to the EFPF users.
The marketplace integration approach adopted in the EFPF project allows user access to different marketplace, such as the following:
vf-OS Store
The vf‑OS Store has been developed in the scope of the European research project vf‑OS. It provides a one-stop-shop for the selling and purchasing of digital applications or apps. Users can browse listed apps, filtering by categories, providing feedback and view dependencies. It provides an easy checkout through various payment methods.
Key features:
· Browser applications as a customer
· Easy checkout
· Manage uploaded applications
SMECluster Marketplace
The SMECluster Marketplace offers access to software systems and services that may consist both of software and hardware component and require consultancy or set-up. Therefore, many listings may not be available for instant purchase right away and the customer may need to engage in the purchase process with system/service providers
Key features:
· Browse products by categories
· Provide rich descriptions
· Support products including hardware setup
· Checkout and payment feature
The SMECluster Marketplace is particularly well suited to systems and services that require manual configuration or adaptations to be used at the customers premises.
Nimble Marketplace
The Nimble Marketplace has been developed in the scope of the European research project Nimble and provided a federated, multi-sided and cloud services-based business ecosystem. The Nimble Marketplace is the front-end of this ecosystem and enables users to buy, offer and negotiate physical products.
Key features:
· Company and product search
· Product catalogues
· Advanced checkout incl. negotiations
WASP Marketplace
The WASP Marketplace is part of the Workflow and Service Automation Platform. This marketplace provides software services ready to use in websites and other components. Services are sorted by categories and detailed information are provided.
Key features:
· Web services search
· Service listing
· Bubble navigation
With the interlinking of above marketplaces, the integrated marketplace framework has been validated. Further integration or extension scenarios are being investigated in the EFPF project. Feel free to get in touch with the project team if you would like to explore the marketplace functionalities.